Electric cars aren’t a new concept
Although electric cars are thought of as the future of motoring, they’re not actually a new concept. The very first production electric car was built in 1884 by English inventor, Thomas Parker.
Until recently one of the joys of driving an electric car is the peace and quiet that they bring to the roads. However, as from July 2019, a new EU rule meant that all new electric and hybrid cars are legally required to emit an artificial noise so that they can be more easily heard by cyclists and pedestrians.
Since the Nissan LEAF was launched in 2010, over 400,000 have been sold. This makes it the most popular electric car in the world.
An interesting new feature of Tesla cars is the recently introduced ‘Dog Mode’. Drivers with pets in the car can use the Overheat Cabin Protection function to keep the car at a cool temperature for pets left inside.
All-electric cars have regenerative braking which means that every time you break, some electricity goes back into the battery. Braking in fact actually helps you to get more miles from the car, enabling you to drive further.
As of May 2019, the number of public charge points outnumber petrol stations in the UK. Data from Zap-Map shows that there are now 8,471 charging sites across the UK as opposed to 8,400 petrol stations. In fact, the number of petrol stations is actually decreasing
Over the last few years, a number of traditional fuel companies and petrol station operators have entered the electric car market.
Electric cars in the UK could be set to have their own green number plates if government plans go ahead. As part of a drive to promote low emission vehicles, the UK Government is currently considering introducing the special number plates to new electric cars.
Electric cars could actually be thought of as battery on wheels. With the right equipment, it is possible to use the electricity in a car battery to supply your own home or balance the electricity grid at certain times of the day.